<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Bond by Yarnov (Manny7548)</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22560262">Bond</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Manny7548/pseuds/Yarnov'>Yarnov (Manny7548)</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The bond - Fandom</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Adventure, Amnesia, F/F, F/M, Gen, Humans Are Weird, Humans are space orcs, Humans are strange, M/M, Multi, Other, alien - Freeform, space</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 18:29:08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>5,295</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22560262</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Manny7548/pseuds/Yarnov</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Human meets alien. Can I make it any more obvious?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>47</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Humans Are Space Orcs</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. I don't drink</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>First work, please leave feedback. :^)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The sharp ringing in my ear jolts me awake. I instantly drink in my surrounding area. It looks to be a prison cell, it echoes the kind I’ve seen in cartoons of the old west, Iron bars. The strangest part is how strange those bars look against the bright green, futuristic walls of the ship. Ship? How do I know it’s a ship? I breathe in and wince, I may have a fractured rib. I look down and see I have a plain gray jumper on. My knees are nearly up to my chest and I notice I am tucked in a corner, my head against the nearest wall. I reach out slowly against the wall and heft myself up, I stand bowlegged, struggling to carry my weight. </p><p> </p><p>I lift my left foot and instantly crash back down into the corner I was in. The pain from falling grounds me even more and my anxiety shoots up. Where am I? What in the hell am I wearing? Suddenly I feel eyes and instantly shoot my gaze past the bars. There is a person, short, and more importantly an alien. They looked like someone mutated a Bearded Dragon and plastered its face on a human’s body. <b>Zarge.</b> The word jumps out to me, their species name probably.  5’ 3’’, three pronged clawed fingers with a seemingly out of place thumb and a strange yellow-orange shade. I compartmentalize their features and the instant thoughts of fighting them horrify me. Why am I thinking of fighting them? I shake my head to clear it. </p><p> </p><p>“<em> Hey </em>” I croak out, I clear my throat and try again. </p><p> </p><p>“<em> Do you understand me </em>?” </p><p> </p><p>They stare back at me with what seems to be suspicion. Maybe they don’t know English? Common. They should know that. The word jumps into my head. I struggle to remember it but eventually formulate a short sentence in my head. I notice a small pail filled with what I hope is water. I don’t much care if it is or not and take a big swig and gulp down the water. Some water escapes my </p><p>mouth and dribbles down my tan chin. I cleared my throat again.</p><p> </p><p>“Hello? Understand me?” I say roughly. </p><p> </p><p>They nod, still not speaking.</p><p> </p><p>The more I thought, the more I remembered.</p><p> </p><p>“Where are we?” I ask.</p><p> </p><p>“The FirstHeat, Zarge prisonship”</p><p> </p><p>“I do not want to hurt you, who are you?” </p><p> </p><p>“Moniz, who are you?” Their tail sways up and then settles.</p><p> </p><p>“I- uh…” A horrible realization sets in. I don’t remember my name. </p><p> </p><p>“...I don’t know. What did they do to me?!” </p><p> </p><p>“Woah, calm down. You must have been someone really dangerous to have been given an </p><p>amnesiac.” Moniz states. </p><p> </p><p>“Why do I remember everything else...like languages and history..but not my name..or history?”</p><p> </p><p>“A perfected amnesiac that only makes you forget yourself, and the people you know but not anything else, otherwise you’d be useless to them and they’d have to train you from the beginning.”</p><p> </p><p>They pause and think for a moment.</p><p> </p><p>“But why keep you alive? Why use it? Maybe they think you’ll be useful to them once they break you.”</p><p> </p><p>I frown.</p><p> </p><p>“How do you know this?” </p><p> </p><p>Moniz looks up in surprise. </p><p> </p><p>“Oh! I used to work on one of my species finest science vessels, The Sunshot.”</p><p> </p><p>I give them a confused look.</p><p> </p><p>“Then..why are you in prison?” </p><p> </p><p>They wave away an invisible pest.</p><p> </p><p>“Insubordination, I didn't agree with the inhumane tests they were doing on some prisoners of war” They state nonchalantly.</p><p>"It didn't help that I was just a low-level intern" They mumble.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m here for only 3 years, so it’s not too bad. It could have been worse.” </p><p> </p><p>“3...you guys live till 200 don’t you? That would roughly make it about a year or so time for a human?” </p><p> </p><p>"yes, I am the ripe young age of 93. Almost a fully fledged adult."</p><p> </p><p>I suddenly realized something.</p><p> </p><p>“How..did they tell you?”</p><p> </p><p>"Tell me what? My..age?"</p><p> </p><p>"No, how long you'd be here"</p><p> </p><p>Moniz slowly walks closer to their cell bars and points upward. Above the cell is a panel with the number 3. I scoot closer to my bars, still too weak to walk. I ask them to tell me my sentence. They look surprised and tell me.</p><p> </p><p>“17 years” </p><p> </p><p>17?! </p><p> </p><p>“That’s...crazy! I’ll be 37 by that time! Nearly half my life-time!”</p><p> </p><p>They shake their head. </p><p> </p><p>“Calm down, there’s no point in yelling.” They say evenly.</p><p> </p><p>I lean back against the prison wall again and breathe in deeply. I notice, again, the strangeness of the bars.</p><p> </p><p>“Why these old iron bars? This ship looks advanced enough.”</p><p> </p><p>“We’re lower level prisoners, weak physically, so they put us in here.”</p><p> </p><p>My eyebrows shoot up in surprise. </p><p> </p><p>“I...Humans may be fairly new-”</p><p> </p><p>“26 years, 3 years on the council” Moniz interrupts.</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah, that, but shouldn’t they know humans are physically stronger than your kind?”</p><p> </p><p>Moniz shoots up at this thought.</p><p> </p><p>“But...iron?” They ask quietly.</p><p> </p><p>“I don’t remember much, but I do know since we were discovered and given new tech our species </p><p>has risen quickly up the ranks. We...have cybernetics already in a good chunk of our species...prototypes, sure, but still very effective.”</p><p> </p><p>I raise my arm to my face. Looking for any indication of metal or cybernetics.</p><p> </p><p>“Only problem is, I don’t know if I have them or not”</p><p> </p><p>“Why are you telling me this?” Moniz asks, very confused.</p><p> </p><p>“Because I want you to help me escape.” I state.</p><p> </p><p>“What?! Why?” Their shoulders shoot up in surprise and they stare at me as though I was crazy. Maybe I was.</p><p> </p><p>I face Moniz and shakily stand against the iron bars. A weak show of resolve, but at least it was better than nothing.</p><p> </p><p>“You know them, you’ve been wronged by them. Why go back? What will you get from it?” I try to reason with them.</p><p> </p><p>“But..they’ll..kill me, brand me a rebel!” They nearly shout.</p><p> </p><p>“How do you know they already haven’t?”</p><p> </p><p>Moniz seems to pale, or as well as I can tell. They look down, hopefully deep in thought. </p><p>After a few moments of silence Moniz begins to pace in their cell. Their golden-orange tail swaying back and forth erratically. </p><p>After a minute of this they finally stop, their tail stopped in mid-air as well.</p><p> </p><p>“I...I’ll help” They eventually say, defeated.</p><p> </p><p>I perk up at this unexpected news, never expected it to be this easy. </p><p>“Before all that, I can’t keep calling you human.” Moniz says.</p><p> </p><p>“Then give me a name, any” I say dismissively.</p><p> </p><p>“...Mulit” They whisper.</p><p> </p><p>“Mullet?!” I laugh. </p><p> </p><p>Moniz glares at me.</p><p> </p><p>“What?” They say, apparently offended at my laughter.</p><p> </p><p>It was probably smart to NOT anger your only friend in an alien spaceship.</p><p> </p><p>“Ha..Nothing.” I wave away the tension.</p><p> </p><p>I then remember that we have to work together and I don't think I like 'mullet' as a name.</p><p> </p><p>“I like it, truly, but maybe M as a nickname would be good.” I suggest.</p><p> </p><p>They grumble an agreement. Better than nothing.</p><p> </p><p>I feel a new wave of optimism fill me with some energy and I finally let go of the bars and stand as tall as I can. </p><p> </p><p>“So, got an idea?” I ask.</p><p> </p><p>Moniz looks down guiltily. This could be interesting.</p><p> </p><p>“I..have been thinking about escaping, more fantasy than fiction but I do have an idea.” They take their right hand and rub the back of the left one, possibly for comfort. Good to know.</p><p>They sit down criss cross and think for a moment.</p><p> </p><p>“First, you need to recover your strength, who knows how long you were fed the amnesiac before you were dumped here.” Moniz states, they stare at me with a tinge of worry. They breathe in slowly and continue.</p><p> </p><p>“I’ve already been here a year so I know the guards schedule, we’re in a low security section of the prison so assuming you can uphold your end of breaking open the bars, we can escape on the only guard ship in this sector of the prison. They always cycle the guards so when the ship comes in next should be our best bet.” He finishes and searches my eyes for something, maybe disappointment or anger.</p><p> </p><p>“Simple, but I like it. When’s the next time the ship comes by?”</p><p> </p><p>Moniz frowns, or at least it seems like one. Uh oh, this does not bode well.</p><p> </p><p>“A year, give or take.” </p><p> </p><p>I pale. Fuck.</p><p>“Okay...then I guess I should get started” I turn and start slowly walking around my cell, every step more confident than the last. <em> This is going to take forever. </em> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. ...Breakout?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Out the frying pan and into the fire, eh?</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Since this is my first work, I would love a comment or a kudos to show I am on the right path. :^)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>It’s been almost an entire year, the meticulous scratches on the walls Moniz and I carved out prove that. About two weeks in I was finally able to run around in full circles, though it helped with improving my mobility, it did make me nauseous. I tried to remember every way I remembered how someone would try to get stronger. What I came up with was pretty basic, push-ups, pull-ups on the bar lining of the cell and running. Not including stretches, of course. Though it seems I wasn’t exactly the most fit person, being only 5’ 6’’ and 190 pounds, I did have some upper body strength which may mean I used to work out. My black hair has now grown down to my lower back and without a comb, it is a knotted mess. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Thankfully Moniz and I are given the right tools for dental care, though we are forcibly escorted to a public area bathroom to be able to piss. Thankfully, I have been able to control my own bodily fluids before, I can’t imagine soiling yourself in your cell. Though I have not voiced this outloud since Moniz, unfortunately, had spoiled themselves a few months into our plan. Thankfully, I am able to wash myself, washing my hair is all I can do to keep it the least knotted it can be, usually using my own hands as a comb in the shower. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Four months into my wonderful resort stay, I was informed of why I was not immediately killed (of which, I am apparently supposed to be </span>
  <em>
    <span>very</span>
  </em>
  <span> grateful for). They expect to use me as their own personal special ops, of sorts. A tank to go into secretive missions to benefit the Zarge. Of course I have to go along with this reaking pile of bull shit, especially since I don’t think a torture table is where I want to end up on. They tell me within a year of telling me that they would begin my training, since I have to get used to the ‘community’ and ‘rules’ here. I don’t mind, I won’t be here in a year's time. After they dumped me back into my cell and I had informed Moniz about what it was about, a loud almost melodious tune rang out. I was confused and Moniz was surprised.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What is that?” I asked, almost scared.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>Moniz stated that it was one of the ‘luxuries’ that a lower level prison allowed. To be told of one’s birthday in a short tune. So, I was told I was 21. Not exactly the birthday I imagined, though, I thought it could have been worse. And it did, it got so much worse. Immediately after the tune died down I could hear guards jogging down the hallway, always in groups of two. They stood at my cell and I recognized one of the regular ones. Her name was Cordia, she was in a similar situation as me, being kidnapped and then used as a soldier. Which is not surprising, since a good chunk of Zarge soldiers are prisoners of war. She was glad that I was not making things difficult and constantly talked about how she’d love to work with me. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>I would have taken that as a compliment if this were any other situation. I stayed polite and we grew as close as a guard and a prisoner could. That day, though, she was stone faced. This was particularly terrifying and affected me more than I thought and I was in a daze as they forcibly pulled me out of my cell. I did not try to talk to her, I doubt I would have gotten an answer. We finally stopped short of the guard common area and took a sharp left down the hallway. My anxiety shot up, I had never been down this way. I was led to a sterile white room and tied down to what looked like a modified dentists chair. That was when I met Dr. A’th, an A’lmari female. The A’lmari are strikingly similar to what fantasy orcs look like, though they have teeth similar to a sabertooth than a fantasy orc and mostly have shades of ashy gray skin. Many humans were very excited to see them, as they were a familiar sight compared to the outlandish aliens they had met in our first contact.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There are no males and how they have children is something I do not know, maybe if I live to get out of here, I will research it. She stares down at me with a neutral expression. I don’t know if I or Moniz let something slip or a guard may have overheard us somehow but I feel talking to her may not be a good idea. But then again, I </span>
  <em>
    <span>am</span>
  </em>
  <span> royally dumb. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey, you come here often?” I nervously say. I blow a small section of my black hair away from my nose. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She snorts.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Was that supposed to be funny?” She smiles for a split second and shows off her sharp teeth.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well you seem to be laughing” I say without thinking.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She grows silent and returns to her neutral expression.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Prisoner 66435, you have been asked in for some...testing” She vaguely says.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What kind..of testing?” I get a sinking feeling in my stomach.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She takes out a small tray filled with what I assumed a Mob Boss’s grocery list would look like. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Torture?” I whisper.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She grunts. “No, testing.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She pauses and looks me in the eyes with what seems like pity, which is a startling change from her no nonsense presence before. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She gags me with a small ball of a gelatinous substance. I try to bite down but it doesn’t give in at all like you’d think. I assume she realized she shouldn't be talking to her lab rat and she begins her testing. A gaggle of wires are connected to my forehead and all over my body, they seem to be keeping track of my vitals. She takes out a small scalpel and hovers for a second over my left arm. This is when realization finally hits me in the face and I struggle, I shake and try to wriggle out of the bounds. It was no use, It was near the end of the day cycle and I had just worked out. I doubt I could break out of them even if I was not tired. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>All I can do while she lowers it to my arm is watch. It hurt, a lot. I don’t like to relive it, so sue me for leaving out some details. First it was just slow, deliberate cuts to see how my blood reacted, how fast it would scab over. Eventually she would carve little divots into my skin, making notes of how much I breathed, of the sweat that dripped down my forehead. I was barely able to hold back my tears. The worst was how </span>
  <em>
    <span>slow</span>
  </em>
  <span> she would go, maybe it would have been better to just be cut up and dumped somewhere. But she wanted to see me heal. I would eventually get some respite when she would take notes, whispering over and over ‘amazing, amazing biology’ while she took notes on her green tablet. I resented her with every cut, with every second of her callous note taking. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eventually after cutting my left arm nearly up to my shoulder, she seems satisfied with her results. She put a green salve over the smaller cuts and made sure to put a strange, bubbling red salve over my deeper cuts. It stung badly but at that point I was exhausted, it seemed like a twisted reward for going through all of that. I was in a haze, tired, almost delirious if you’ll allow such a fancy word. An assistant I had not noticed before had come in and bandaged my arm. She seems to finalize her notes and when she turns to me she finally notices my face again and frowns. When she finally removes the gag I immediately lick my chapped lips on instinct.</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“You know, you’re attractive...for a different species” She says nonchalantly. Her dull orange eyes meeting my black ones. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So, don’t cry. It’s over” She whispers. She raises her arm and wipes the sweat on my forehead away, eventually settling her hand on my shoulder. I can barely fight back the disgust I feel.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What? No jokes?” She chuckles.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Oh Fuck you.</span>
  </em>
  <span> I grit my teeth and bite my tongue down, I did not want to be left on this chair for longer than necessary. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She gets bored of me not answering and calls in guards to take me back. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Take prisoner 66435 back to her cell, no need to be soft with her” Dr. A’th says.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The guards nearly have to drag my half limp body back to my cell and unceremoniously dump me in my cell. I eventually have enough energy to turn over and make eye contact with Moniz. They have worry written all over their face. I quickly turn away. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What happened?” They whisper.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>I don’t have the energy to speak, and even if I did I would not.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>After a what seems like an eternity of silence they whisper out an </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Okay”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They can guess. This repeated every month for the next few months, slowly it became a part of my motivation to get out. Every month some new type of ‘testing’. Moniz was right, they were trying to break me. I won’t let that happen, it won’t happen. Though I nearly gave up, many times.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>That was four months in. Now, the plan is almost nearing its conclusion. 12 months. Tomorrow, that's when the next guard ship comes in. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>We are getting out. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>I tell myself this daily. I take a once over of my body, I can see my improvements in the toned arms I hold up and though I don’t  have a six pack (or ever will unless I dehydrate myself), I can feel I have better core strength. I still feel nervous, knowing this could all end tomorrow, one way or another. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It’s nearing the end of the day cycle for this sector of the prison and I can’t sleep, for good reason. I’ve been (metaphorically) keeping my ear to the ground to make sure the guards really are being switched out tomorrow. It was supported by the fact that earlier Cordia would. Not. Shut. Up. She kept whining over ‘missing me’, as if she were really my friend. After what Dr. A’th did, I realized that she may have gone through the same thing. Though that does not excuse her being a willing participant.  In many ways I pitied her, in others I felt disgust. All I could do was be polite to her. Though, apparently that was enough for her to think we were automatically “BFF’s”. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>I whisper to Moniz.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Psst, hey. Are you ready? Got the whole thing mapped out?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>I hear a grunt. Which most likely means “shut up and go to sleep”.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>So I did.</span>
</p><p> </p><ul>

</ul><p> </p><p>
  <span>The prison ship is rotated towards the nearest star to emulate an artificial morning. I zip up from the futon-esce bedding I had. For the first time in a long time I had no dreams tonight. I quickly start stretching and flexing. It wouldn't do to have a cramp while running for my life. Moniz finally wakes up and groggily sits in the warm sunlight. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Gooood morning princess” I say jokingly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Prince, today.” Moniz grumbles, half asleep.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>I nearly forgot, because Moniz’s species is similar to some earth reptiles they can easily change their sex from male to female. Which is convenient for easier repopulation. Some days they feel like a male, somedays a female, usually they are okay with me regarding them naturally. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Alright, you ready for the fireworks?” I excitedly say.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Moniz finally gets up, satisfied with sunbathing. They walk closer to their bars and peek around to make sure the hallway is empty.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“How many times do I have to tell you, I don’t know what that means.” They say.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Come on, Monni, live a little” I do one final stretch and stand, shoulders squared towards him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Moniz stares for a short while, almost admiring my arms. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You ready?” I say. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes, it’s almost time, we have to wait until they’re done rotating for the morning to get the guard ship to dock. Then we have 20 minutes to get on the ship, unharmed.” Moniz says seriously.</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <span>The telltale sound of the rotation clicking back into place echoes in the halls. </span>
  <em>
    <span>It’s time.</span>
  </em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Breakout!</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>They finally get out, so, what next?</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>
  <span>I hold the iron bars in my arms and pull, as far as i’m able, trying to somehow activate the supposed cybernetics I have. Moniz looks at me with worry and his tail is erratically swishing back and forth. I put more effort into it, grunting while pushing into it, the bars bend and curve but don’t break. Moniz looks at me with awe at the simple fact that I bent the bars, even if it won’t help us. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Okay, so I don’t have cybernetics. Plan B. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>I back up a few steps, square up my shoulder and breathe in. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“This is going to hurt” I say to no one.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>I run and slam as hard as I can against the bars and they bend outward, my shoulder burns with pain and I stifle a yell. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Fuck, that hurt. </span>
  </em>
  <span>I look back up and see that there’s enough room for me to wriggle through them. No point in trying to make it bigger than it needs to be. I put my leg through first and then my head, eventually leading my entire body out into the hallway. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>I stand still for a bit, trying to hear the telltale boots of the guards. When I hear nothing I relax a bit and face Moniz’s cell. The hair on my neck stands on end suddenly and I hear the beginning of the security alarm. </span>
  <em>
    <span>I was hoping we’d have more time.</span>
  </em>
  <span>My heart leaps into my throat. I stare at Moniz’s bars and square up the same shoulder. Better to fuck up one shoulder than kind of fuck up both I rationalize. I step back and ram into his cell, the same flare up of pain coming back but it quickly fades. I see that the bars are not bent enough. Without thinking I ram into the bars again, this time I’m not able to stop the yell that comes out of my mouth. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Fucking hell!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>I stand, numb for a moment and a sudden dizziness makes me nearly fall back. My head is swimming with pain. Moniz quickly clambers out and I lean on him momentarily to ground myself. I place a grip on his shoulder and breathe in deep. The pain numbs again and I lean away from Moniz, staying silent. Only this time I can hear the guards, yelling at the prisoners to stay in their cells. Moniz takes my hand and leads me down the opposite way. Even him just lightly squeezing my hand shoots pain up my arm. I don’t say anything about it but follow closely behind him. He leads us down the hall and we take a sharp left towards the maintenance tunnels. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>We go through the empty engineers lounge and exit out into the main sector of the ship. After a few more turns we finally take a right down to the guards sector. </span>
  <em>
    <span>I really would not have made it out if Moniz was not here. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Too many of these halls look the same. We finally stop in front of a double door that automatically slides open to reveal the hangar. I almost forget about our escape, just to gape at the huge ships docked in here. The biggest was the size of a ZU-1 fighter ship, maybe it was one, the name plastered on its side read </span>
  <em>
    <span>Phoenix</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Moniz pulls on my arm and I quickly start following him again. Thankfully we don’t see any guards here, or else they would have shot me already. Moniz leads me to a smaller ship underneath the behemoth I was in awe of. </span>
  <em>
    <span>This makes more sense.</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The ship seems to have been left open for the guard drop off. I guess they thought no one would ever escape this place. Moniz reaches the top of the incline to the door of the ship and puts his clawed hand on the ID pad on it’s door. He nervously shifts his weight and waits for it to recognize his print. We can hear distant voices yelling, which is most likely guards. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Are you sure they wouldn't have just taken you off the...ID database or something?” I say impatiently. As I finish speaking the pad glows green and the door opens.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I was only on what would be considered a short probation, I doubt they thought I’d do anything like this.” he says smugly, his golden tail standing tall and stiff in pride. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>I was sorely disappointed in what a Zarge guard ship would look like. The inside looks like that of a tacky earth limousine, design-wise. I stare around the ship and see a small lounge area with beige-white leather seats in a crescent shape around an egg shaped table. Next to it is a door that leads to what seems to be a bathroom and next to the bathroom is a small med bay next to even that is a ladder that goes up to what I assume is the barracks. On the left of the ladder is a door that seems to lead into a room with the engine exposed, which means…</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“This ship can Jump?!” I say excitedly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Moniz looks at me with confusion. He takes his seat at the captain's chair and turns on the ship, closing the door. I can hear the yells of guards through the door getting louder. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah but I don’t know how to do that, we have to rely on the auto-pilot on this ship” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He flips two switches to turn on the engine and then clicks on the auto-pilot. I know this? My head gets another sharp spike of pain when I try to remember. The ship slowly starts up and then suddenly blasts through the air-field of the hangar and into the vacuum of space. I fall back violently and groan out in pain. I feel a sharp pop from my shoulder as it is set back in the socket from the sudden spike in G’s and I nearly pass out from the pain. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Focus on breathing. </span>
  </em>
  <span>The pressure keeps me on my back for a few more seconds until I can feel the ship compensate and lower the gravity. Moniz unsticks himself from the captains seat and clumsily gets up. He turns quickly to help me get up and I stifle a cry when he pulls me up from my obviously broken arm. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>I stand up and with the help of Moniz, make my way to the captain's chair. The view was breathtaking, I had imagined and seen these exact stars from the prison but seeing them, while free no less, is an entirely different feeling. I feel on top of the world. Well, as much as you could be with a broken arm. I physically shake my head to ground myself in the now, reality.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Will they be able to follow us?” I ask Moniz, who I’m surprised to see is staring at me instead of the vast expanse in front of us. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No, if they send out too many or any of the ZU’s people will start talking”  He says.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“They wouldn’t want their fearsome reputation ruined, it would disgrace them to reveal that someone had run away from their custody” He says grimly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>I smile widely, the first real, true smile I’ve had in a year. It hurts my cheeks but I can’t stop smiling. Moniz looks at me with concern. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Look, I get that you’re happy but can you not smile so much? Some species take that as a threat. I know about it and it </span>
  <em>
    <span>still</span>
  </em>
  <span> makes me a bit uncomfortable".  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I wish I could say fuck it, I’m happy, but he’s right.</span>
  </em>
  <span> I am able to lower my smile, showing less teeth and Moniz visibly relaxes as well. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So where is your uncle's base..?” I ask.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“He’s a rebel against the Zarge, isn’t he? How do you even know about that?” I continue teasingly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Moniz seems slightly annoyed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I wasn’t a robot with no emotions, I love my uncle and would never sell him out..my parents however would do it on the drop of...a dine? die?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Dime” I correct. Teaching Moniz earth phrases is one of the more exciting things to see in action.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, that thing. It will take a good week for us to get to him without the Jump. It’ll do, we can stop at a few Council planets on the way to refuel and to get someone to look at that arm of yours.” He reaches for my arm again but I unconsciously flinch back.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>He stares at me curiously, worried. </p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Uh..sorry, it kind of hurts if you touch it” I finally say. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Moniz seems to take a moment but eventually realizes what he’s been doing the whole time.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh Pernin, I am </span>
  <em>
    <span>so sorry!</span>
  </em>
  <span>” He says, apparently horrified.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No, no. It’s fine. It just hurt like hell” I joke. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He lightly pushes me towards the small ships med bay and seats me into a just-as-tacky chair. He rummages around in the compartments and finds what looks like pain meds. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He looks at my arm, now very obviously bruised. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry...I’m not a medic but, this is the best we can do until we reach Pio in about a day's time” I stare at him for a short while, eventually he gets that I want him to continue.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s a newly colonized planet by the Vies, a neutral species right now. One of the outposts on the planet should have..a doctor, or at least someone better than me”</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <span>I nod. The adrenaline has been slowly ebbing away, a slow but pulsating pain is replacing the numbness I previously felt. </span>
  <em>
    <span>This is gonna suck</span>
  </em>
  <span>. I don’t even question if the medicine is something that is ‘all species safe’ as the council tries to call things. I just down a single tablet and hope for the best. Moniz leaves me in the med bay to go look around the ship, maybe even bring back food. When a good chunk of the pain dumbs down I finally move to the medbay bed. It’s about as comfortable as a patient bed would be. But it’s much better than sleeping in a cell. I close my eyes and listen to the hum of the ship, imagining the space outside of it. After a few minutes I can feel myself drifting off to sleep, and once again dream. </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>